1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for transversely cutting through rigid and semi-rigid tubular members, such as synthetic resin conduit, and more particularly relates to apparatus which can be operated by hand, to shear through a tubular element along a plane extending normal to the longitudinal axis of the tubular element.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In Nakamura et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,317, a shearing tool for cutting through synthetic resin tubes is disclosed. The Nakamura shearing tool includes a pair of movable handle elements, one of which carries a fixed jaw which moves with the handle, and the other of which is pivotally connected to the first handle adjacent the jaw. The second of the handles, which does not carry a fixed jaw, has a serrated lever connected thereto which acts through a pivoted linkage to cause the fixed jaw to pivot through an increment of pivotal movement each time the second handle element is pivoted relative to the first handle element.
Devices which can be used for cutting through structures such as synthetic resin tubular elements are also shown in Florian U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,390,455 and 3,273,240. Both of these structures include elongated handle elements, one of which carries a fixed jaw, and the other of which pivots on the first handle element at a location adjacent the fixed jaw and actuates a second jaw pivotally mounted on the first-mentioned handle element through an interconnecting linkage which includes ratchet teeth and a lever carrying a pin which acts upon the teeth of the ratchet as the handles are pivoted toward and away from each other.